Numerous different devices are known for cleaning rain gutters and gutter systems. These include vacuum and pressurized air-type devices typified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,971,098; 4,402,106; 5,586,360; and 6,519,809, and water-pressure and water-delivery-type devices typified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,363,335 and 5,037,028. There are also mechanical gutter cleaning devices such as typified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,319,851; 4,718,613 and 5,855,402. The vacuum-type devices have no provision for washing down the gutter troughs after the leaves and other debris have been removed, the latter done by such methods as scraping, blowing or vacuuming. That is, the vacuum-type devices have no capability of using a water jet to blast loose the accumulated leaf debris in a gutter. On the other hand, the water-type devices have no provision for assuring substantial removal of the debris, whether by blowing or vacuuming of it, once a pressurized water jet is used to dislodge the same.
There has been a need for a gutter cleaning apparatus that provides sufficient impact force to dislodge and loosen encrusted leaves and other debris found in a roof gutter, while additionally being able to remove such dislodged debris.